What makes a meeting worthwhile?
While we know deep down that meetings are an essential part of a good work life, we often shy away from the task of producing a worthwhile meeting. At a distance, meetings can look quite similar: they are just two or more people coming together to discuss something.
But when you look more closely, each meeting looks different: What was the purpose of this meeting? Who was in attendance today, and why? What did each person expect from the meeting? What were the individual experiences of the attendees during the meeting? What changed as a result of holding the meeting?
Paying attention to these details may feel daunting or unnecessary at first, but the payoff is powerful. When it comes to doing good work, a sizable amount of our progress depends on our workplace relationships. It is in our meetings that our relationships are tested.
The goal of this course is to transform the way you use meetings to engage meaningfully with colleagues and produce excellent work.
In this interactive course, we will examine your particular context to discover how to get the results you’re after. You’ll benefit from new perspectives and insights offered by your classmates and have a personalized plan for skillfully running meetings.
Course Outcomes
At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- plan effective meetings by defining clear objectives, creating focused agendas and selecting appropriate formats for in-person, remote and hybrid environments.
- facilitate productive discussions by guiding conversations, encouraging balanced participation, reading group dynamics and managing time effectively.
- apply communication and engagement techniques such as active listening, questioning strategies and collaboration tools.
- navigate common meeting obstacles and drive clear decisions, actions and accountability.
